To,
Shri Anurag Singh Thakur,
Minister of Information and Broadcasting,
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting,
New Delhi
minister.inb@gov.in
And Through Secretary
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
ps-hmib@gov.in
To,
Shri Iqbal Singh Lalpura
Hon’ble Chairman of National Commission for Minorities
Through: Secretary,
O/o. Secretary (NCM),
National Commission for Minorities,
Government of India,
1st Floor, Block-14,
C.G.O. Complex, Lodhi Road,
NEW DELHI – 110003.
Email: secy-ncm@nic.in
To,
Shri Prasoon Joshi,
Hon’ble Chairman
Central Board of Film Certification,
Films Division Complex, Phase- I Building, 9th Floor, Dr. G. Deshmukh Marg
Mumbai – 400026
Email : chairperson.cbfc@nic.in
And To,
Shri K. Madhavan
President IBDF
Indian Broadcasting & Digital Foundation
C-301, C-302 & C-303, Third Floor, Ansal Plaza,
Khelgaon Marg,
New Delhi – 110 049
INDIA
Email: ibdf@ibdf.com
The Hon’ble Chairman,
BROADCASTING CONTENT COMPLAINTS COUNCIL (BCCC)
Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF)
B-304, Ansal Plaza, Khelgaon Marg
New Delhi – 110 049
Email: bccc@bccc.co.in
Sub: Humble Appeal to appoint a Panel of Sikh Minority Censorship Cell in CBFC and BCCC to inspect and censor Films and TV Serials which insult and demean our Sikh Articles of Faith and hurt our Religious Sentiments.
Respected Hon’ble Minister, President and Hon’ble Chairman,
As Chairman of Virasat Sikhism Trust, I along with our Trust Members have been working to spread awareness and restore Sikh Heritage and Sikh History.
For several years, we as Sikhs have faced a lot of insult and harm to our Faith by Films and TV Serials which make fun of us, mock us and our Faith, which distort Sikh History, which insult our Sikh Articles of Faith, particularly THE KIRPAN AND TURBAN.
For the Sikh Community, particularly the initiated Gursikhs who have taken Amrit “The Khalsa”, our Articles of Faith – “Five Kakaars” and Shri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib Ji’s “Rehat Maryada”/Code of Conduct have to be strictly followed in letter and spirit.
Under Article 25 (2) Explanation I of The Constitution of Bharat, people professing Sikh Religion are specifically granted Constitutional Fundamental Right to wear the KIRPAN and it specifically states: “The wearing and carrying of KIRPANS shall be deemed to be included in the profession of Sikh Religion. Sacred Kirpan is one of the Five Kakaars and therefore, any insult to our sacred Five Kakaars and our Turban is considered as Blasphemous and deeply hurting our Religious sentiments.
For the past several years we have been addressing objections and sending Legal Notices and taking Legal action against Films and TV Serials through Ms. NEENA SINGH LL.M Advocate, who has been representing Virasat Sikhism Trust. Recently, Legal Notice was sent to Film Production House of Movie : Yaariyan2 for showing a Non-Sikh Hero wearing the sacred Kirpan. Reply was received from the Production House and all Scenes showing the Non-Sikh Hero wearing the KIRPAN were removed.
Two years back our Advocate had taken Legal action against TV Serial “Choti Sardarni” of Color TV and were successful in getting all Gurbani Shabads and objectionable scenes removed from the TV Serial, even though we received no cooperation from BCCC.
We have been witnessing this persistent harm to our sacred Scripture and our Articles of Faith for past several years and there is no Member belonging to Sikh Faith in CBFC and BCCC, as a result of which the Members are not able to appreciate the gravity of insult and irreparable harm caused to us by these Films and TV Serials which, besides hurting our Religious sentiments, these also have the effect of defaming and harming the reputation of Sikhs in India and abroad, particularly our Youths from Punjab and Sikh Faith.
Under these circumstances, we humbly appeal to your Offices to form a Panel of Sikh Minority Censorship Cell which should comprise of a Team of three persons belonging to Sikh Faith, one of whom should be specialized in the field of Film/Cinema and the other two Members be appointed from Shiromani Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee (SGPC), Amritsar & Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) who can check the Films and TV Serials from Sikh Code of Conduct /”Rehat Maryada” and also be a Spokesperson for Sikh Community. Their team role should be to assist the CBFC and BCCC to vet the Films and TV Serials with respect to Sikh Faith and in the alternative, the CBFC and BCCC should get the Films and TV Serials depicting Sikh Faith vetted and approved in writing from the Sikh Minority Cell of SGPC, Amritsar and DSGMC, New Delhi.
Yours faithfully,
(SARDAR RAJINDER SINGH)
Chairman:
VIRASAT SIKHISM TRUST
Address: 3040,
1st Floor, Lane No.12A,
Ranjit Nagar (South Patel Nagar),
NEW DELHI – 110008
98188 66665 (m)
vrg.contracts@gmail.com
And From,
Ms. NEENA SINGH
LL.M. ADVOCATE
Chamber No.422, 4th Floor,
“S” BLOCK,
DELHI HIGH COURT,
NEW DELHI
